Machine for covering eyeglass-cases.



No.;f889,111-1. PATENTEDMAY 26, 1 908. W. P. DEVINE. I

. MACHINE FOR COVERING EYBGLASS GASES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 1906.

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w. P. DEVINE. MACHINE FOR GOVER-ING EYEGLASS GASES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21. 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM P. DEVINE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO ORIENT MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

MACHINE FOR COVERING EYEGLASS-CASES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 26, 1908.

Application filed May 21, 1906. Serial No. 317,896.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM P. DEVINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suifolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Covering Eyeglass-Cases, (No. 2); and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for covering eyeglass cases.

The object of the invention is to produce an improved machine for applying leather or other covering material to the outside of an eyeglass case.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention is particularly adapted for applying and securing the covering material to the body portion. of an eyeglass case consisting of a body of sheet metal and a sheet metal cover hinged thereon, and is intended to operate in conjunction with the machine shown in the inventors copending application of even date herewith, relating to a machine of somewhat similar character for applying covering material to the cover portion of an eyeglass case, the two machines operating in conjunction to complete the operation of covering the eyeglass case.

The invention consists in the improved machine for covering eyeglass cases hereinafter described, as defined in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine for covering eyeglass cases embodying the present invention. Fig.2 is a planviewof the bed and the dieuponwhich the eyeglass case is pressed against the covering material. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the plunger and the die. Fig. 4 is a similar section of the die, and the wiper block by which the covering material is bent under the lip of the eyeglass case. Fig. 5 is a similar section of the die in another position. Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the plunger, and Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the wiper block.

The machine of the drawings comprises a plunger 1 and a die 2 between which the eyeglass case and the sheet of covering material are pressed together. The plunger is fixed to a slide 3 sliding on vertical ways 4 on the overhanging frame 5 of the machine. The

slide is actuated by a toggle 6 which may be bent or straightened by a hand lever 7 connected to the frame 5 by a link 8. When the handle is 'drawn forward and downward by the operator the toggle is straightened and the plunger is moved towards the die. A spring 9 holds the plunger normally in raised position, and a vertically-adjustable block 10, to which the upper end of the toggle is pivoted, aifords means for adjusting the distance between the die and the plunger when the latter is in its lowermost position.

The die 2 comprises two portions, of which the central portion 11 is verticallymovable, while the outer inclosing portion 12 is fixed to the bed 13. The die member 11 is provided with a shoulder formed by a bar 14 fixed to the rear of the die member 11 and located in a recess in the die member 12. The bar 14 engages the covering material at the hinged portion of the eyeglass case and presses it thereagainst. The die member 1 1 is held in raised position, as shown in Fig. 5, by springs 15 located in recesses in the die member and its upward movement is limited by stop screws 16 engaging the top of the bar 14. The stop screws 16 are mounted in plates 17 secured in recesses in the top of the die member 12 by screws 18.

Means are provided for holding the die member 11 in depressed position. These means comprise hooks 19 pivoted on the ends of the die member 12 in position to engage lugs 20 on the ends of the bar 14. The hooks are connected byarms 21 and a rod 22, by means of which they may be drawn forward by the operator to release the die member 11.

In connection with the machine above described, the operator uses a device herein referred to as a wiper block for wiping the covering material under the lip 23 of the body of the eyeglass case. This wiper block is shown in Figs. 4 and 7. It comprises a body portion 24 provided with a lip 25 shaped to enter the s ace between the lip of the eyeglass case and t e bottom thereof.

The operation of the machine is performed as follows The eyeglass case, to the cover of which the covering material has previously been applied, either in the machine hereinbefore referred to or in any other manner, is placed against the lower surface of the plunger and the plunger is then depressed to the position of Fig. 3, by means of the hand lever 7, so as to press the body of the eyeglass case against the covering material and to depress the die member 11, thereby bending up the margins of the covering material about the eyeglass case. The wiper block is then used, as shown in Fig. 4, to wipe the covering material under the lip of the eyeglass case, and the covering material is bent inward at the ends of the case by the operator. The plunger is again depressed to secure the covering material at the ends of the case to the interior surface thereof, and the hooks 19 are then drawn forward by means of the bar 22 so as to release the die member 11 and allow it to rise. The operation being now completed the eyeglass case is removed from the die, and the operation may then be repeated upon another eyeglass case.

Although the invention has been described in connection with a machine for applying covering material to the body portion of an eyeglass case of a particular character, it will be understood that by suitable modifications of the forms of the die and the plunger, the invention may be embodied in machines for covering the cover portion of an eyeglass case or in machines for covering eyeglass cases of other forms, and the invention is not, in general, limited to the'details of construction and operation of the illustrated embodiment, but may be embodied in other forms broadly defined by the claims.

Having now described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A machine for covering eyeglass cases, having, in combination, a plunger for engaging the inside of an eyeglass case, a cooperating die comprising a fixed portion and a spring supported portion arranged to be depressed by the operation of the plunger, and means for retaining the spring-supported portion in depressed position, substantially as described.

2. A machine for covering eyeglass cases, having, in combination, a plunger for engaging the inside of an eyeglass case, a cooperating die comprising a fixed portion and a yielding portion arranged to be depressed by the operation of the plunger, and means acting under control of the operator to raise the yielding portion of the die after the plunger has released it, substantially as described.

3. A machine for covering eyeglass cases, having, in combination, a plunger for engaging the inside of an eyeglass case, and a co operating die comprising two members relatively movable, of which one forms the bottom of the die and the margin of the die at the hinge portion of the eyeglass case, and the other member forms the marginal portion of the rest of the die, substantially as described.

4. A machine for covering eyeglass cases,

v having, in combination, a plunger to engage the inside of an eyeglass case, a cooperating die comprising a spring-supported bottom member provided with a shoulder to engage the hinge portion of the case, and a member inclosing the bottom member and forming the lateral surfaces of the die, and means for retaining the bottom member in depressed position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

WVM. P. DEVINE. WVitnesses:

HORACE VAN EVEREN, ALFRED H, HILDRETH. 

